Associated Press
| The Detroit News
Tampa, Fla. – Teddy Bridgewater is nearing a return to the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said Bridgewater is visiting the team and the Bucs plan to sign him.
The Buccaneers will be the eighth team in 12 seasons for the 32-year-old Bridgewater.
Bridgewater coached his former high school in Miami to a Class 3A state championship last fall and then returned to the NFL in late December to serve as a backup to Jared Goff for the playoff-bound Lions.
He would provide insurance for the four-time defending NFC South champions behind Baker Mayfield. The Buccaneers also have veteran Kyle Trask, who has thrown 11 passes in four seasons since he was a second-round pick in 2021.
Mayfield returned to practice Tuesday after missing a couple of days because of a hand contusion.
Bridgewater said last month that he was suspended from coaching Miami Northwestern High School because he provided players with financial benefits that he says he reported to the school.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Bridgewater said on social media post. “And if it comes down to it, I will volunteer from the bleachers like I used to in 2018 and 2019 when no one had a problem.”
Bridgewater, a first-round pick by Minnesota in 2014, is 33-32 as a starter and made the Pro Bowl after his second season when he led the Vikings to an 11-5 record. He also spent time with the Jets, Saints, Panthers, Broncos and Dolphins.
Bridgewater has completed 66.4% of his passes for 15,120 yards, 75 touchdowns, 47 interceptions and a 90.5 passer rating.
Buccaneers offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard was an assistant coach in Miami in 2022 when Bridgewater backed up Tua Tagovailoa.
Buccaneers defensive line coach Charlie Strong was Bridgewater’s head coach at Louisville.
Tampa Bay’s quarterback room also includes Michael Pratt and Connor Bazelak. Pratt, a seventh-round pick out of Tulane by Green Bay in 2024 who signed to the Buccaneers’ practice squad last August, has been sidelined by a back injury. Bazelak signed as an undrafted free agent out of Bowling Green where he spent the final two of his six college seasons.
Rams’ Williams extended
Running back Kyren Williams agreed to a three-year, $33 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Rams on Tuesday, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Rams hadn’t yet announced their deal with Williams, their productive starter for the past two seasons. The deal includes $23 million in guaranteed money.
Williams has produced back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons as the Rams’ starting running back, and he made the Pro Bowl in 2023 while finishing third in the NFL in yards rushing. He has rushed for 2,582 yards and 26 touchdowns while adding 464 yards receiving and five more TDs over three seasons as a versatile component of Sean McVay’s offense.
Williams had career highs of 1,299 yards rushing and 14 rushing touchdowns last season, accounting for a league-high 73.6% of the Rams’ rushing output.
Jets’ Taylor has high ankle sprain
New York Jets rookie tight end Mason Taylor has a high ankle sprain that will keep him sidelined for at least a week.
Taylor, a second-round pick out of LSU, had been one of the bright spots on offense for the Jets during the first few weeks of training camp. The son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor didn’t practice Monday or Tuesday after a day off Sunday.
High ankle sprains often take several weeks to heal. But Coach Aaron Glenn, who announced the nature of the injury after practice Tuesday, doesn’t believe Taylor’s progress will be hampered by missing some practice time this summer.
Also, backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor has a knee injury that is being evaluated. The 36-year-old Taylor is expected to back up starter Justin Fields this season.
Packers’ Hobbs remains out
Green Bay Packers cornerback Nate Hobbs has undergone a surgical procedure on his knee that will keep him out of training camp for now.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Tuesday he didn’t want to speculate on when Hobbs might return.
Hobbs didn’t practice on Friday or Saturday. LaFleur said he believed the injury occurred during a collision in training camp.
The Packers signed Hobbs to a four-year, $48 million contract in March after he spent his first four seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders. The 26-year-old Hobbs started 38 games, forced three fumbles and intercepted three passes during his time in Las Vegas.